A nurse is caring for a patient who returned from abdominal surgery 6 hours ago. The nurse notes that the abdominal dressing is nearly saturated with serosanguineous drainage and that a small amount of drainage is leaking from the lower edge of the dressing. The nurse's best action is to

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Reinforcing the dressing with additional gauze pads is the best immediate action to manage increased drainage and prevent contamination of the surgical site. Removing or replacing the dressing entirely may not be appropriate without specific orders, as it could risk infection or disrupt the healing process. Reinforcing the tape edges does not address the issue of the saturated dressing.

A Nurse Is Caring for a Patient Who Returned from Abdominal